Choosing the Right Job—How to Find the Right Fit, What Should I Look For?

Abstract

Choosing a job in surgery is influenced tremendously by an individual’s life experiences, geography, and family as much as it is by their specialty. This chapter helps put the personal choices in context of various practice environments to better guide the job seeker in making an informed decision on various surgical jobs. A description of four types of practice environments is provided: Private Practice, Academic Medicine, Institutional Practice, and Hospital Practice. An outline of each of their varying expectations for surgical practice is provided, touching on differences in teaching, salary, benefits, administrative, research, and clinical commitments.